Mark Saunders (police officer)
Mark Saunders is a Canadian policing professional who served as Chief of Police of the Toronto Police Service from 2015 to 2020. He was chosen on April 17, 2015, to succeed former police chief Bill Blair following Blair's retirement in April 2015. Saunders is the first Black Canadian to lead Toronto's police service and reportedly beat out deputy chief Peter Sloly for the position. He is only the second Black Canadian to head a police force in Canada, having been preceded by Devon Clunis of the Winnipeg Police Service in 2012. Saunders stepped down on July 31, 2020.
Early life and education
Saunders was born in England to Jamaican parents. His family moved from England to Quebec, and in 1969, they settled in Milton, Ontario. He was a student council president while attending Milton District High School, and also attended W. I. Dick Middle School, J.M. Denyes School, and Martin Street Middle School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in justice studies from the University of Guelph-Humber.Toronto Police Service
Saunders began his policing career after graduating from high school. He worked with the Toronto Police for 35 years, rising to the position of deputy chief in charge of specialized operations command, before being appointed chief in 2015. He had assignments with professional standards, urban street gang unit, intelligence division, drug squad, community safety command, and emergency task force, and served as the unit commander of the homicide squad.In August 2019, the Toronto Police Services Board extended Saunders' five year contract by one year, until April 2021. However, on June 8, 2020, Saunders announced his retirement effective July 31, 2020 after serving 37 years in the police, stating that the reason was to spend time focusing on being a father.
Key Moments as Chief of Police
During Saunders' six years as Chief of Police, he led the Toronto Police Service through three main crises.Toronto Van Attack
The Toronto van attack was a vehicle-ramming attack that occurred on April 23, 2018, when a rented van was driven along Yonge Street through the North York City Centre business district in Toronto, Ontario. The driver targeted pedestrians, killing 10 and injuring 16, some critically. The incident is the deadliest vehicle-ramming attack in Canadian history.Danforth Shooting
The 2018 Toronto shooting, known locally as the Danforth shooting, was a mass shooting that occurred on Danforth Avenue in the Greektown neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, on the night of July 22 which killed two people and wounded thirteen. The shooter committed suicide after a shootout with Toronto Police Service officers.2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides
Between 2010 and 2017, a series of men disappeared in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In the early part of the decade, the Toronto Police Service had created Project Houston, a divisional task force which linked the disappearance of three men of South Asian or Middle Eastern origin to Church and Wellesley, Toronto's gay village. The investigation was unable to determine if the disappearances were related or if a crime had been committed. In mid-2017, amid public speculation of a serial killer in Church and Wellesley, evidence was gained from another missing-persons investigation which led TPS to create a second divisional task force, Project Prism. In January 2018, Project Prism investigators obtained evidence connecting two disappearances to Bruce McArthur, a 66-year-old self-employed landscaper, whom they arrested on January 18, 2018.Resignation
Saunders announced his resignation on June 8, 2020. July 31, 2020 was his final day as Chief – 8 months prior to the expiry of Saunders' contract. Saunders said he made the decision to leave sooner in order to "put family first".Personal life
Saunders has four children with his wife Stacey; they live in Etobicoke.In October 2017, Saunders had a kidney transplant surgery with his wife as the donor. Saunders was born with only one kidney and underwent nightly kidney dialysis at home for 15 months prior to the surgery. He stated that the family went public about the transplant in order to raise awareness of the organ donation program.
Honours
| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
| Order of Merit of the Police Forces |
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| Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal | ||
| Police Exemplary Service Medal |